The Red Sox on Friday topped the visiting Angels by a score of 5-4 (box score). In the ninth, though, the Angels were threatening. Against Boston closer Craig Kimbrel, Mike Trout worked a leadoff walk. Kimbrel then induced a fly-out from Albert Pujols and a pop-up from Jefry Marte.
Former Red Sock Daniel Nava, though, hit one down the right field line. Trout would've scored easily on the play, but the umps ruled it was an automatic double. Here's a look at the play and the subsequent review:
Yep, it certainly looked like that ball was angling back toward the field of play before the fan touched it. If the ball had remained in play, then Trout almost certainly would've scored. If fan interference had been called, then the umps likely would've sent Trout home. Instead, the call on the field stood, and Kimbrel induced a ground out from C.J. Cron, and the Red Sox hung on.
Needless to say, Angels manager Mike Scioscia was in a state of displeasure after the game:
"It's a joke," Mike Scioscia said of the replay decision on Nava's double. "That's a brutal call for whoever's back in NY looking at it."
— Pedro Moura (@pedromoura) July 2, 2016
And even Sox skipper John Farrell realized his team got lucky on the call and non-overturn:
Farrell on the ninth: "You might say we caught a break right there."
— Tim Britton (@TimBritton) July 2, 2016
The outcome probably won't mean much to the non-contending Angels long-term, but the Sox of course are in contending shape thus far.
